Collapsible shipping and storage box.



W. RJWATKINS.

'COLLAPSIBLE SHIPPlNG AND STORAGE BOX.

APPLICATION man AUG. 1, 1913. 1 g@@ @QQ Patented Dec. 12,1916.

9 7) a SHEETSSHEET x.

W. R. WATKINS.

COLLAPSIBLE SHiPPlNG AND STORAGE BOX.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 1. 1913.

11, @Ufifigfl, Patented Dec. 12, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W. R. WATKINS.

COLLAPSIBLE SHIPPING AND STORAGE BOX.

; APPLICATION FILED AUGJ. 1913.

Walk moses rr an erase PATENT opinion,

WILLIAM B. WATKINS, OF WOODLAWN, ALABAMA.

COLLAPSIBLE SHIPPING AND STORAGE BOX.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that T, VVULIAM. R. VVAT- xrns, a citizen of the United f'ltates, residing' at Woodlawn, in the county of Jefferson and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Tmprovements in Collapsible Shipping and Storage Boxes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in collapsible boxes or crates, and as its rincipal object contemplates the provision of a device of this character which may be cheaply manufactured, will be durable and efficient in its operation and may be expeditiously used in shipping or storing goods or articles of any kind or nature.

The above and additional objects are accomplished by such means as are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, described in the following specification and then more particularly pointed out in the claim which is appended hereto and forms a part of this application.

With reference to the drawings, wherein 1 have illustrated the preferred embodiment of my invention as it is reduced to practice, and throughout the several views of which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts: Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the various folding elements of the box in assembled relation. Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the elements in various open and closed positions. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. t is a transverse section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the various elements of the box in folded relation. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the preferred form of the latch hinge. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of the hinge shown in Fig. 6, in a different position.

Proceeding now to the description of the drawings, the preferred embodiment of this invention includes'a bottomwall 10, a pair of end walls 11 and 12, a pair of side walls 13 and 14: and a top 15. The walls 13 and 1a consist of hinged sections to enable compact folding of the box. The bottom wall 10 is equipped with a pair of longitudinally extending bars 16 and 17, the terminals of which project slightly beyond the end edges Specification of Letters Patent. 1 agigmfigfl Egg, 12, 191% Application filed August 1,

1913. Serial No. 782,519.

of the member 10. The purpose in extending the terminals of the members 16 and 17 beyond tae end of the bottom wall 10 is to permit the hinging of the bars 18 and 19 of the end wall 11, and the bars 20 and 21 of the end wall 12 to the members 16 and 17, as will be readily observed by reference to Fig. The side wall 13 is hinged as at 22 to the upper face of the bottom wall 10 and the sections forming the same, designated 22 and 22" when in folded position, lie flat on the bottom wall. The other side wall designated as an entirety by the numeral 14L is formed in two sections 23 and 2a which are hingedly connected as at 25 and are designed to fall one upon the other when the box collapses, as will be hereinafter more fully described. The top 15 is hinged to the upper portion 24 of the side wall 1% by hinges as at 26. As a means for protecting the box against breakage during shipment, the top 15 is also provided with a pair oflongitudinally extending bars 27 and 28, which are arranged at the longitudinal edges of the member 15 as are the bars 16 and 17 on the bottom wall 10. It will be observed by reference particularly to Fig. 3, that the terminals of the bars 18, 19, 20 and 21, and 27 and 28 are extended a short distance beyond the edges of the box members to which they are applied. The purpose of this extension of the members will be apparent, when reference is had to Fig. 1. By reference to this figure, it will be noted that the bars of the end walls are pivoted into the members 16 and 17, and are disposed against the inner faces there of, so that when the end walls are in assembled position, the upper terminals of the bars 18, 19, 20 and 21 are arranged interiorly of the bars 27 and 28 and abut the projecting terminals thereof. This arrange ment of the various bars provides two protecting rims or frames which in practice have been found to adequately protect the box from breakage, such as often results from accidentally dropping the box on. the floor of a freight car.

As a means for holding the end walls in assembled relation to the side wall and bot tom wall, when these latter are in assembled relation, there have been provided a pair of hinges 29. These hinges are located at the meeting edges of the side and end walls and are identical in structure, and one of these has been illustrated in detail in Figs.

6 and 7. By reference to these figures, it

7 will be noted that these figures include two 7 34 of the leaf 32. A similar stud 38 is carried by the inner face of the wall 12 and is arranged to be disposed in the slot 35 of the leaf 33 when the box sections are in assembled position. It will of course be I apparent that by sliding the leaves upwardly, the leaf 33 will be withdrawn from engagement from the stud 38 and may be folded against the leaf 32, whereby the box 7 elements may be folded in the manner to be next described.

: wall 10, then folding the side wall 14 to r V dispose the member 23 on the bottom wall As illustrated most clearly in Fig. 5, the box'is collapsed and arranged with its various elements in compact folded position by folding the side wall 13 on thebottom 10, and the member 24 on the member 23. The top 15'is then foldedto lie ointly on b the members 2 1 and 13,the end walls 11 and 12 are then folded against the outer face of the bottom wall 10, andthe box sections are in complete folded position. A strap or other suitablefastening device may ofcourse be passed around the box to'hold latch members, each of which includes a.

7 I the parts-in the desired position.

In securing the side wall 13 and top 15 in assembled position, the preferred embod1- merit of this invention employs a pair of pair of plates 39 and 40, respectively, se cured to the edgesofthe members 15' and 1'3'and formed terminallywith rolled ears. as at 4=l and42f The plates iofeach'latch member are; arranged in staggered relation to each other, so that the rolled ears 39 and 40 are disposed in registered position. Vfhen the box elements are in assembled relation,

' a wirefor other suitable fastening device maybe passedthroughthe; registered ears 4:1' and 42 to hold the side walls. and top in desired relation. f V V The ordinary box, or crate ofthis invention :may of course be made of wood, but

it has been found desirable inpractice to utilize fiberoid, vulcanized fiber, match board, 'pantasote, or some other'similar composition,

As shown in Fig. the hinge fastener on the wall 14: is carried by the lower section I section 22 and the stud 38,

23 of the wall. This admits of the upper section 24; being swung outwardly with the top 15 when the latter is moved to open position to admit of greater access being had to the interior of the box. The fastener 29 on the wall 13 is carried by the upper which is to be engaged by the fastener on the section 22, when the section is in operative position, is located adjacent the upper edge of the end wall 11. By virtue of this construction the sections 22 and 22 and the end wall 11 will be held in operative position when the top 15 is moved to open position.

In reduction to practice, I have found that the form of my invention, illustrated in the drawings and referred to in the above description, as the preferred embodiment, is the most eflicient and practical yet realizing that the conditions concurrent with the adoption of my device will necessarily vary, I desire to emphasize the fact that various minor changes in details of construetimi. proportion and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, when required, without sarrificing any of the advantages of my invention, as defined in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

The combination with a crate having folding side and end walls, studs carried. by the end and side walls and located adj aeent the meeting edges of said walls, hinges associated with the inner surfaces of the side and end walls and positioned at the meeting edges of the said walls, and each including a pair of leaves connected to each other by pintle, one of the leaves being of substantially rectangular configuration and having d vertical slot therein for receiving the stud of the adjacent side wall, the other leaf being substantially inverted L-shaped and adapted to engage the inner face of the adjacent end wall and having a downwardly extending projection formed on the shorter arm thereof,the said hinge being adapted to vertical movement on the stud carried by the side wall and adapted, when the walls of the crate are in crate formation, to be slid downwardly so as to cause the downwardly extending projection on the shorter arm of the L-shaped leaf to engage over the studs on the adjacent end wall, so as to hold the adjacent side and end walls in operative position.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' WILLIAM R. VATKINS. Witnesses:

R. C. THOMPSON,

JAMES C. VVILLIAMs.

copies of thispacent maybe obtained for 'five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

' i i Washington, D. 0. 

